Is media good for the society?

Answer 1

Absolutely. As Thomas Jefferson wrote in January 1787, "...were it left to me to decide whether we should have a government without newspapers, or newspapers without a government, I should not hesitate a moment to prefer the latter. But I should mean that every man should receive those papers and be capable of reading them..." In other words, even back in the days of our Founding Fathers, they understood the importance of a free press, and of literacy. Back then, the word "media" was not used-- it didn't really become popular until the 1960s; the preferred term was "the press" (named after the printing press, without which, newspapers and magazines could not be produced for a mass audience).

The media, at their best, are the watchdogs-- they keep an eye on people in power and make sure the government does not become dictatorial and oppressive; they courageously speak out when injustice occurs. At their worst, they are lapdogs, obeying those in power and selling out for access to the powerful, rather than criticizing them when they deserve it. Media serve many purposes: they inform us, entertain us, provide us with an escape, are like a friend in a time of crisis, and they spread the popular culture (fads, catch-phrases and memes, hit songs, popular new programs, the most talented performers, etc). In fact, the media have become an important part of daily life, and few people I know would be able to live without access to the internet, TV, radio, books, magazines, movies, hit songs, or news publications.